Two CCSD teachers named Physical Education Teacher of the Year
September 18, 2015
CHARLESTON, SC – The South Carolina Association for Physical Education and Sport (SCAPES) announced this week that two Charleston County School District (CCSD) teachers have been named the 2015 Teacher of the Year Award for Physical Education for their respective grade levels.
The teachers are Jennifer Dawson of Jennie Moore Elementary School and Jason Hamil of Cario Middle School.
“This award recognizes the most outstanding physical education teachers each year for their contributions to the physical health and well being of their students,” said Dave Spurlock, CCSD Director of Athletics.
Jennifer Dawson is in her tenth year at Jennie Moore Elementary and has been teaching physical education for 14 years. Her favorite part of the job is seeing the moment when students finally believe in themselves. “I get to be there when a student scores their first goal, makes their first basket or simply succeeds in something athletically that they didn’t think they could do,” said Dawson.
She also hosts a school-wide Jump Rope for Heart event where Jennie Moore students have always ranked in the top 10 for the state. Students learn the skill of jumping rope while learning the facts of heart disease and stroke. Most importantly, students learn compassion and recognize the importance of giving and helping others, according to Dawson.
Jason Hamil has been teaching at Cairo Middle School since 2006. He has also been coaching Varsity Boys Soccer at Academic Magnet High School since 2004. His favorite part of teaching physical education is designing activities geared toward encouraging participation from all students.
“In order to stem the tide of the obesity epidemic, it is vital that we reach children who may be apprehensive about physical activity or who may not have proper activity role models,” said Hamil. “This takes designing innovative and unique activities. We call this The Blitz Curriculum methodology of thinking. The solution to generational obesity begins with reaching one child at a time.”
Jennifer Dawson and Jason Hamil will both be recognized at the SCAPES convention in Myrtle Beach on Friday, November 13, 2015, at 7:00 p.m.
For more information, please visit: www.scahperd.org.
